A Confession of Faith
- We trust in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
- We trust in Jesus as our Savior and Lord. We believe that he came down from heaven and that by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary. He preached Good News to the poor and release to the captives. Through Jesus' ministry the Kingdom of God was coming into the world. He welcomed women and men as his disciples, blessed children, healed the sick, dined with outcasts, and extended divine mercy to sinners. For the salvation of the world he suffered, was crucified, died, was buried, and was raised from the dead. He ascended into heaven and will come again to complete the work he has begun.
- We trust in God whom Jesus called Abba, Father. We believe that God created the world and that it is a good world. God made all the people of the world in God's own image and crowned them with glory and honor. God continues to love the world even though the world often chooses to resist God. God broke the power of evil by raising Jesus from the dead.
- We trust in the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of God and of Jesus. We believe that the Spirit helps us to pray to God and continually reminds us of Jesus. The Spirit gives new life to all who trust in Jesus, incorporates them into the church, and produces in them fruit such as love, joy, and peace. The Spirit protects the church and binds its members together with cords of love. The Spirit guides and empowers the church on its mission to the world. The Spirit gives to all Christian women and men spiritual gifts which equip them to carry out every kind of ministry, thereby enriching the life of the church and helping the church to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
Corporate Commitments
We commit ourselves to:
- A membership that is open to all persons who accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and who desire to pattern their lives after the teachings of Christ.
- A caring fellowship that seeks to incarnate the love of Christ in individual lives, expressed in warmth and concern for the spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being of one another as we minister in harmonious Christian love.
- A prophetic proclamation of the Christian faith that is responsible and free, fervently evangelical, socially concerned, and relevant to our needs as a caring fellowship in today's society.
- A ministry to our community that expresses our commitment to a risen Lord in a free, creative, and flexible manner.
- A program of Christian education that is advanced, innovative, and based on sound biblical interpretation.
Personal Commitments
I commit myself to:
- Seek a deepening relationship with Christ through daily Bible study, private devotion, and personal prayer.
- Live in a way that demonstrates my personal response to the Christian ethic in the family, in the church, and in the total community.
- Worship regularly with this congregation, regarding each opportunity for corporate worship as a high priority occasion in my life.
- Prepare myself for the fulfillment of my commitment through participation in the educational activities of the church.
- Engage in active ministry in my occupation, in my daily contacts, and in the ministries of the church to the community.
- Give sacrificially of my money as one tangible expression of a wholehearted self-giving stewardship of all of life, with the tithe as a guide.
- Give myself in loving concern for individuals within the church, supporting them in life needs, seeking to be an instrument of redemption and reconciliation, and recognizing the freedom and dignity of personal convictions within the bonds of unity.
Baptist Church of the Covenant holds dear historical Baptist principles, such as:
- the Priesthood of all Believers
- the Autonomy of the Local Church
- Inspiration of Scripture
- Religious Liberty
- the celebration of Baptism and the Lord's Supper as our ordinances
When the church was chartered, twelve statements of commitment were adopted that apply to the individual member as well as the corporate community.
Baptist Church of the Covenant was established in 1970 to be an ethnically inclusive congregation. Since that time, it has ordained women to the ministry and affirmed openness to sexual orientation and gender identity. As Christ accepts all who believe, we do likewise. All are welcomed.
Worship
Worship is central to every program at Baptist Church of the Covenant. From the first notes of the organ prelude to the final note of the postlude, the worshiper’s attention is drawn to worship.
Sarah Jackson Shelton, pastor of Baptist Church of the Covenant, brings a mix of experiences to the pulpit. From the carpool line to the grocery store, from the ranks as a staff member to the "preacher in charge," from the ostracized "preacher woman" to the beloved "Pastor Sarah," from student in the library to people watcher, she combines everyday experiences with the rich message of the gospel to bring "faith to life." She has honed her skill as a storyteller in order to pinpoint the relevance of the Good News and make direct application for the faithful.
Likewise, Organist-Choirmaster, Daniel Lawhon, brings to the service not only music but words that blend with the theme of the worship hour. His preludes and postludes add to the color and tone of the sermon and combine to enhance the worship experience.
Bible reading and prayer, most often led by a layperson, add to the significance of the hour as does the congregational singing. It combines to create an hour of excitement and expectation that is met Sunday after Sunday by careful planning and performance that is worthy of the Lord we worship and service. It is where “Faith comes to life.”
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